Method of securing rigid shoulder members to collapsible containers or tubes



T. LOEW METHOD OF SECURING RiGID SHOULDER MEM T0 COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINERS OR TUBES Filed May 5, 1958 Dec. 27,. 1960 United States Patent Oflfice 2,965,964 Patented Dec. 27, 1960 METHOD OF SECURING RIGID SHOULDER MEM- BERS TO COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINERS R TUBES Theodore Loew, Stamford, Conn., assignor to Victor Industries Corp., Greenwich, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 5, 1958, Ser. No. 732,871

1 Claim. (Cl. 29-508) This invention relates to a method of making containers and specifically to such as are known as collapsible tubes and are characterized by a rigid shoulder portion and a collapsible body portion for forcing the contents therefrom.

It is well known to manufacture a collapsible tube as a unitary structure from metal. It is also known to make a similar device entirely of plastic. Metal collapsible tubes are frequently objected to because of the tendency of metal to break when the tube has been folded or squeezed for the purpose of ejecting the contents from the container. Where completely plastic tubes are formed, they present difliculties at the threaded por tion of the shoulder orifice resulting in a leaky structure or poorly fitted caps.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of making a collapsible tube structure in which the advantages of the metal and the plastic tube are combined.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of making a tube structure capable of employing any type of plastic tubing in the construction thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of making a leak proof, combined metal and plastic tube.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of making a combined metal and plastic tube which will withstand extreme amounts of pressure on the part of the user.

A feature of the present invention is its use of a rigid metallic shoulder combined with a flexible body structure.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a liquid tight lock between metal and polyethylene or plastic tubing.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof is illustrated one form of embodiment of the invention and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of a collapsible tube made in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the shoulder and fragment of the body portion of a collapsible tube made in accordance with the present invention before assembly.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the tube following the first step in assembling the shoulder and body section.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the final assemly of the shoulder and body portion of the tube.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional fragmentary view somewhat enlarged showing the shoulder and tube after the first step in the spinning operation for securing the shoulder to the body portion.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional fragmentary view somewhat enlarged showing the final assembly of the shoulder to the body portion of the tube.

Referring to the drawings and specifically to Figures 1 and 2, 10 indicates the top or shoulder portion of a collapsible tube having a threaded orifice 11 at the top thereof. A flexible body member 12 is secured to the shoulder member 10 in the hereinafter described manner. The flexible body member 12 is made of plastic in the present invention and preferably of some plastic having substantial tensile strength such as polyethylene, Saran, polyvinyl chloride, or vinyl chloride, acetate copolymer, or the like.

In order to provide a useful article, the plastic body structure 12 must be secured to the shoulder 10, in a permanent liquid proof manner. Where polyethylene is employed the inherent slipperiness of the plastic makes it difficult to secure it to the shoulder 10 by any of the well known economically feasible methods. In Figure 2 it will be seen that the shoulder member 10, made in accordance with the present invention, is formed with an outwardly extending edge portion 13 and an annular flange 14 depending from the inner surface of the shoulder. The flexible body portion of the tube 12 is preferably made of a continuous sleeve or plastic which is slipped over the flange 14 as the first step in assembling the tube.

With the plastic body member 12 slipped over the flange 14 the shoulder and tube 12 are placed upon a suitable mandrel or holding device (not shown) and the outer edge 15 of the outwardly extending edge portion 13 spun inwardly until it assumes the position shown in Figures 3 and 5. At this juncture the plastic tube 12 will be firmly grasped by the periphery 15 of the edge portion 13 and will be prevented from slipping out of the annular recess or groove 16 between the edge portion members 13 and the flange 14. The remainder of the tube forming operation can be carried out by spinning the outwardly bulged edge portion 13 into firm contact with the plastic 12 as shown in Figure 6. The periphery edge 15 of the edge portion 13 will be forced into the body of the plastic 12 to provide a liquid tight seal therearound and to firmly grasp the plastic sleeve 12 within the annular recess 16 of the shoulder 10.

It has been found that if the outwardly extending edge portion 13 is spun down upon the plastic 12 in any manner other than the hereinabove described sequence, that the plastic tube 12 will be squeezed out of the annular recess 16 and prevent a liquid proof seal from being effected.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

The method of securing a tubular section of plastic material within an annular groove in a rigid shoulder member, said groove being defined by an inner and outer edge portion which consists of the steps of inserting the tubing into the annular groove, spinning only the periphery of the outer edge portion adjacent the groove of the shoulder inwardly until it bears against the tubing and secures it within at least a portion of the groove and thereafter continuing the spinning operation with respect to the remainder of the outer edge portion of the groove until the tube and shoulder are in contact throughout the entire groove whereby the plastic tube is secured in said first spinning step against being forced out of said groove in the subsequent spinning step to thus insure a complete sealing of the joint.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Robinson July 2,

Carlson Aug. 12,

Morison June 19,

Bungay Aug. 8,

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Oct. .5,

Great Britain Oct. 28, 

